West must never recognize Russia's illegal claims to Ukraine's territory - American expert Fried

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

Daniel Fried explained that Trump's position remains unclear, and no one can predict its final stance. However, the current trajectory suggests potential for implementation. He emphasized that the key principle is not the ceasefire line but the notion that the West should never recognize Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory. He stated that all of Ukraine's territory is legitimate, and security and sovereignty are fundamental principles. Fried reminded the Ukrainian audience that the U.S. has a long history of refusing to recognize territorial annexations by aggressors. He referenced the Stimson Doctrine of the 1930s, which rejected Japan's occupation of Manchuria, the Welles Declaration which denied Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, and the 2018 Pompeo Declaration, which affirmed the U.S. does not recognize Russia's occupation of Crimea. These, he noted, are powerful precedents, with two initiated by Republicans and one by Democrats, showing bipartisan commitment to this principle.

The expert emphasized that Western countries should take Ukraine's security seriously and never recognize Russia's territorial claims to Ukraine.

He added that it is critical never to recognize Russia's unlawful claims on Ukrainian territory, noting that Ukraine's international borders were officially defined, including in the Russian-Ukrainian treaty signed by Putin in the early 2000s. He emphasized that this position must be upheld, and Ukraine's security must be taken seriously.

• On December 2, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the possibility of peace talks with Russia.
• The Ukrainian delegation recently met with key members of Donald Trump's team. The talks focused on Ukraine’s readiness for peace and its NATO membership proposal.